As part of their studies, all undergraduate students within the School of Performance & Cultural Industries have the opportunity to spend a year studying abroad with a partner institution. Students opting for Study Abroad take an additional year of study between levels 2 and 3 of their programme making the total period of study 4 years. Following the year in the partner institution, students return to Leeds and undertake level 3 modules in their fourth year of study. Successful students receive the designation of ‘International’ after their degree title, in acknowledgement of this significant addition to their studies.

Study Abroad is an exciting and challenging opportunity to gain experience of living and studying in another culture as part of your degree. You can choose from over 200 partner institutions and in addition to the social and cultural experience it offers, Study Abroad is also an excellent opportunity to gain valuable skills and to provide new perspectives on performance and the cultural industries. Study Abroad is an invaluable addition to your CV as the ability to network cross-culturally is increasingly sought after in a global workplace and international experience has been shown to enhance graduate employability.

You can find out more about the benefits of Study Abroad and the range of worldwide partners we have at the University of Leeds here: http://studyabroad.leeds.ac.uk

Undergraduate students interested in Study Abroad normally need to attain an average of 60 across their Level 1 modules to be eligible for consideration for this scheme. If you would like to find out more about this opportunity, please contact:

Ms Katie Beswick
Research Associate in Applied Theatre
k.a.beswick@leeds.ac.uk
(0113 34) 38726
Room 1.15, PCI Building

Where have PCI students studied abroad?

In the recent past, PCI students have undertaken placements in a variety of institutions, these include:

McMaster University in Canada www.mcmaster.ca/
Queensland University of Technology. www.qut.edu.au/
York University in Canada. www.yorku.ca/
Universidad de las Américas Puebla in Mexico www.udlap.mx/

We also have a School link to the Shanghai Theatre Academy http://www.cinaoggi.it/shanghai-theatre-academy/

For students wishing to study in Europe, the School of Performance and Cultural Industries now has formal links with three European Partners:

The University of Limerick, Ireland www.ul.ie/
The University of Siegen, Germany www.uni-siegen.de/
The Theatre Academy Helsinki, Finland. www.teak.fi/eng/

There is a fee waiver for students wishing to study at our European partners in 2011/12

 

 

Step 1 – Decide if Study Abroad is the right choice for you

The earliest step in the Study Abroad process begins when you decide if Study Abroad is really a sensible choice for you. Questions you may want to ask yourself include:

• Do I enjoy change? – have I found lifestyle changes easy in the past?
• Am I confident that I can achieve academically in a foreign University?
• Do I enjoy meeting new people and discovering new places?
• Did I find the transition from school/college/work to university fairly easy?

If the answer to the above questions is yes – and the idea of studying in a foreign country for a year sounds appealing, then you may be an ideal candidate for Study Abroad.

Remember the Study Abroad programme extends your degree by one year. You will spend a year abroad in the third year and return to complete the final year of your degree at Leeds.

Step 2 – Do I meet the criteria?

Once you have decided you want to apply for Study Abroad, you should make sure you are eligible for the programme (details are available at http://studyabroad.leeds.ac.uk/). Within the School we expect that our students will normally:

• be in their second year (you will apply in the second year and spend your third year abroad)
• have attained an average mark of 60 in their Level 1 studies
• have an exemplary attendance and punctuality record
• have a proficiency in the language of the country of study, where subjects are taught in a language other than English.

Step 5 – The Application Process

If you wish to apply to Study Abroad you must in the first instance contact the School's Study Abroad Co-Ordinator (Katie Beswick k.a.beswick@leeds.ac.uk ) to confirm your eligibility for the programme. You will then be advised to contact the University's Study Abroad office to register for the Study Abroad Module on the VLE. The application process requires a personal statement, a transcript of level one examination marks, your selection of Universities and course choices and approval from the School of Performance & Cultural Industries.

Key dates for applications to Study Abroad during 2011-12:

26th October 2011 - Study Abroad Fair (Parkinson Court)
24th November 2011 - Deadline for Applications

Step 6 – Results

The Study Abroad office will contact students with decisions regarding placements between Christmas and New Year.

Michaela Lesayova Student Profile
BA Managing Performance

Everything started at Heathrow where the airline had oversold my flight to Mexico City. Full of energy and positive expectations, I ignored this little complication and managed to get my flight to the land of tequila at the last minute. My enthusiasm wasn´t shaken by a very Mexican university enrolment either, nor by all the other experiences that accompanied me from the very first moment of my ‘Meksikana’ journey. These included crazy landlords, street dogs and some over-friendly residents of our 'barrio'. After a year I am tougher and know a good batch of Mexican swear words. Do not get me wrong though, Mexico is a very genuine country and my experience there is something that I would never change.
My Study Abroad year took place in Puebla, Mexico´s 5th largest city. Puebla is a 2 hour bus ride from the capital and lies right below Mexico’s most active volcano. I really enjoyed all my classes.I did voluntary community service as one of my modules in the first semester and the second semester was delivered entirely in Spanish! I got to know a number of very interesting and adorable people. Mexicans are the warmest people I have ever met and the bonds that we formed are very strong. I dearly miss my Mexican family and their tasty cuisine that they always offered me so kindly! Spending Christmas away from your family is tough, but opening presents on the sunny beach with piña colada in your hand instead of a Christmas punch is not bad either. The possibility of travel to Cuba and Guatemala showed me many new life perspectives too and I have never learnt so much about myself as on my Study Abroad. Wherever you decide to go, I encourage you to take up this opportunity as it comes just once and it is not to be missed!

Image of Monte Albán, Zapotec ruins in Oaxaca by Suzy Gonzáles